But Kaepernick also had an important suggestion. He told his friend to stay patient and don't stop working.

"He was frustrated as well but the guy was ready," Marshall said of how Kaepernick seized his opportunity when Smith suffered a concussion in November. "That gave me courage to be patient. He's a quarterback in the weight room four times a week. That's crazy."

Marshall, a four-year Wolf Pack starter, got cut twice this season before appearing in his first late in the season.

"I was mad at everybody," he said of his situation. "Then I saw Colin excel against the Bears and that motivated me not to get down. That's not how you become a better person anyway."